The Society for Nautical Research has recently supported two conferences for up- and-coming maritime researchers. The New Researchers in Maritime History, organized jointly with the British Commission for Maritime History, has long been recognized as the forum for new researchers to present their work for the first time to a supportive and sympathetic audience. This year’s conference, hosted at Plymouth University, featured a range of presentations from naval pageantry and nuclear power to steamboat songs and Welsh fishing.
At virtually the same time, another conference was happening at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. The International Postgraduate Port and Maritime History Network, which is linked to the Centre for Port and Maritime History in Liverpool, hosted the first of what promises to be an annual conference. This is similar in aim to the New Researchers in that it provides a platform for postgraduate students to share their work, but is far more international in scope. Speakers from the UK, Estonia, the Basque Country, Greece and Germany presented an eclectic mix of papers spanning Chinese navigation manuals, crime, prostitution and venereal disease in Barcelona, Piraeus and Sevastopol as well as sailors’ wives, whaling women and medieval ships’ names. I had the pleasure of attending this conference and was struck by the enthusiasm and dedication of all the presenters. It was organized by two young PhD students, David Wilson and Siobhan Hearne, who deserve great credit for bringing together such a fascinating programme and for running it so professionally. I wish it every success in the future.
Having presented at the very first New Researchers conference way back in 1993 when I was embarking on my own PhD, I recognize only too well the importance of events like these in providing an opportunity to share research and also, crucially, to meet others in the same situation and to get advice and feedback from fellow researchers and established academics. Judging by these conferences there is definitely some new talent coming through and in the fullness of time their work will no doubt be appearing in the pages of The Mariners Mirror.
For the centenary issue of The Mariner’s Mirror I wrote an article on preserved ships in which I argued that the best way to preserve them in a meaningful and authentic way is to keep them operational. A prime example of this is the MS Lofoten, built in 1964 and still going strong with the Hurtigruten company on the northern coast of Norway. It was my great pleasure to sail aboard this wonderful vessel recently. Following a recent refit it has managed to incorporate modern safety features while still retaining its 1960s charm, reinforced by a return to its original livery. Captain Eivind Lande and his crew have an enormous affection for the ship and extended a very warm welcome during my short time aboard. I would like to congratulate the Hurtigruten company for their commitment to keeping this small piece of history in service and thank them for the opportunity to see it in action.